Purpose :
The aim of this study was to examine changes in color vision and in corneal high-order aberrations (HOA) after upper eyelid blepharoplasty.

Methods :
We performed a prospective, observational clinical study to analyze changes in color vision and corneal HOA. Twenty-one eyelids of fourteen patients with upper eyelid dermatochalasis were enrolled in this study. Exclusion criteria were previous eyelid surgery and visual function under 1.0 logMAR. Patients were examined directly before surgery and four weeks postoperatively. Color vision was tested using Lanthony's Desaturated 15-Hue-Test. Results were quantified using Color Confusion Index (CCI). Corneal HOA for a pupil diameter of three and six millimeters was measured using Pentacam®. Pre- and postoperative median was compared with the Wilcoxon test. Correlation analysis between CCI and Zernike coefficients was performed.

Results :
Median of CCI increased from 1.44 (interquartile range 1.17...1.67) to 1.74 (IQR 1.32...2.28), P=0.037. Corneal HOA increased postoperatively and with a pupil diameter of six (-0.0137, IQR -0,050…0,046) compared to three millimeters (-0.005, IQR -0.013…0.008). This increase was not statistically significant. However, there was a significant correlation between the increase in CCI and the increase of fourth order aberration postoperatively from three to six millimeters pupil diameter, r=0.539, P=0.014.

Conclusions :
Color discrimination decreased after upper eyelid blepharoplasty. This might be caused by an increase in corneal HOA after surgical elevation of the upper lid margin.

This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2017 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Baltimore, MD, May 7-11, 2017.